Democratic Party and Innovation Party Debate Reignites... Will Pragmatism and Reformism Clash Head-On?

The debate over the merger between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Innovation Party, which had temporarily subsided in the wake of the passing of former Prime Minister Lee Haechan, is reigniting.

On February 1, Assemblyman Han Junho, a former Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly and said, "Please stop the proposal to merge with the Innovation Party here," emphasizing, "Integration without sufficient deliberation could mark the beginning of yet another division." With the completion of all funeral procedures, including the farewell ceremony for the former prime minister, lawmakers who had remained silent on the ruling bloc's key issue of party unification are beginning to speak out again.

Prime Minister Minseok Kim (first from left) is talking with Democratic Peace Unification Advisory Council Senior Vice Chairman Lee Hae-chan's mourning altar at Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 7th, along with Democratic Party Leader Cheongrae Jeong (second from left), Innovation Party Leader Guk Jo (second from right), and writer Sim Yusim (first from right). January 27, 2026 Photo by Joint Press Corps

Assemblyman Park Honggeun also posted on Facebook, "If the merger discussions continue as they are, our ranks will become disorganized right before the local elections, and only divisions among party members will deepen," suggesting, "Let us stop the merger talks at this point."

In response, Lee Sungyun, Supreme Council member and an associate of Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheongrae, countered, "The Democratic Party of Korea and the Innovation Party stood together against the Yoon Sukyeol administration and overcame the December 3 rebellion together," adding, "We must unite and achieve an overwhelming victory in this year's local elections."

There are also signs of a full-fledged clash between the Democratic Party's pragmatic line and the Innovation Party's reformist approach. On the same day, Democratic Party Supreme Council member Lee Eonju took aim at the Innovation Party's push for the "legislation of the public concept of land ownership," stating on Facebook, "This could seriously conflict with the constitutional spirit that guarantees private property rights," and warning, "It risks being perceived as a socialist system shift or a revolutionary approach."

In response, Innovation Party leader Cho Kuk directly refuted this, arguing that the public concept of land ownership had already been ruled constitutional. He stated on Facebook, "This is absurd," and added, "In 1989, the Constitutional Court clearly ruled that the public concept of land ownership itself is constitutional."

He further remarked, "It's unbelievable that such ideological attacks are coming not from the People Power Party, but from the Democratic Party," and announced that he would present a detailed position at the launch ceremony and discussion session for the "New Public Concept of Land Ownership Legislation Task Force" scheduled for February 2.

Innovation Party lawmaker Shin Jangshik also commented, "What is needed now is not a 'pseudo-ideological' offensive, but swift internal coordination and sincere debate."